Ambassador Brothers of Lorain County offer praise hear calls for action in Spoonful of Soul

From front left, honorees Kareem Hunt, Lisa Hill, Lorain County JVS Superintendent Glenn Faircloth, Ardelia “Dee” Tolbert and Clearview school Superintendent Jerome Davis pose for a group photograph as part of the Spoonful of Soul event, held by Ambassador Brothers of Lorain County Feb. 24, 2018, for Black History Month.
Richard Payerchin — The Morning Journal

From front left, honorees Kareem Hunt, Lisa Hill, Martha S. Pye, Lorain County JVS Superintendent Glenn Faircloth, Ardelia “Dee” Tolbert and Clearview school Superintendent Jerome Davis pose for a group photograph with the Ambassador Brothers of Lorain County as part of the Spoonful of Soul event held Feb. 24, 2018, for Black History Month.
Richard Payerchin — The Morning Journal

Ambassador Brothers of Lorain County offered the community a “Spoonful of Soul” with advice and accolades on top.

The community group aims to empower people and to change lives through direct action while presenting positive images of diverse men.

For a second annual Spoonful of Soul event, the men welcomed women and children and praised those whose achievements are making a difference in Lorain County.

“We’re doing this because we want to give back,” said Ambassador Brother Christopher Smith, who warmed up the crowd before the keynote speaker took the stage.

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The event included a number of presentations and at least 100 people came out to Unity Missionary Baptist Church in Elyria to participate.

Lorain County JVS Superintendent Glenn Faircloth, the first African American to hold that post, was the keynote speaker. He described his own experience growing up, his time serving in the Army, and unexpected opportunities to go to college and fall in love with education.

African Americans spend their time in many ways, but they should consider making a trip to Africa to see for themselves the land of their heritage, Faircloth said. He said it will change the life of anyone willing to make the trip.

At one orphanage, just $2,500 would supply running water – and change the lives of children living there, Faircloth said.

He also returned to the theme that “things are different, and yet they’re the same,” for African Americans in the United States.

Older members of the community may shake their heads at the music and dress of young people, but the same things happened when those older members were young, Faircloth said. He suggested those could be teachable moments when older members reach out to youths to introduce them to the music and culture of the past.

Faircloth concluded with a call for more learning.

“Educate yourself in any ways you can,” he said. “Because when you step in a room, especially being in the skin that we’re in, people are going to challenge you. They’re going to challenge what you’re going to say, they’re going to doublecheck your math, they’re going to triplecheck your logic. And then even then, they’re going to take it to someone else to proof it.”

• Community Leadership: Jerome Davis, superintendent of Clearview Local Schools, and Ardelia “Dee” Tolbert, president of the Elyria Unit of the NAACP

The crowd heard “Crying Out,” a performance piece written by Daniella Pruitt of Oberlin College’s Theater Department of Africana Studies. Meeko Israel served as master of ceremonies and also performed, asking if the group could participate in call and response in the Blues tradition.

Oberlin College students Dylan Rogers and Jaris Owens performed a dialogue between the historic civil rights activists Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois. The New Mount Calvary Anointed Praise Movers capped the day with a work of dance to the song “Break Every Chain,” a hymn of praise to Jesus.